NYC unveils new $50 million emergency operations center

Finally, some detail about New York City’s new, federally-funded $50 million emergency operations center (EOC). Readers will recall that the previous facility was located in Manhattan — at 7 World Trade Center, to be exact — but in deference to security needs, the new one is in Brooklyn. (Will terrorists attack Brooklyn? Fuggedaboutit!) The 65,000 square foot EOC opening this week will serve as the hub for the new Citywide Incident Management System (CIMS), which works with the federal Incident Command Structure to specify agency roles and responsibilties during citywide emergencies and multiple large-scale incidents. The EOC will also soon be realizing the benefits of the Citywide Public Safety Wireless Network.

Staffed 24-hours a day, the building sports an impressive assortment of general office space, training and conference rooms, state-of-the-art audiovisual and information technology systems, and — critically — full back-up generation. For those at the top of the food chain, the watch command features workstations, a citywide warning desk, full audio and video recording capabilities, a 15-foot video wall, and state-of-the-art communications tools. All of this, we should note, was built according to environmentally sound engineering and architectural principles, making the EOC New York City’s first “green” agency headquarters.

-read more in this city news release